AECCafe Guest Bloghttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest
Just another AEC Blogs siteThu, 02 Jun 2016 18:37:26 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1How Your A&E Firm Can Win the War for Talenthttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/06/02/how-your-ae-firm-can-win-the-war-for-talent/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/06/02/how-your-ae-firm-can-win-the-war-for-talent/#commentsThu, 02 Jun 2016 14:24:36 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=297In A&E, your people are not only your greatest asset, but also your competitive advantage in the marketplace. But, does your firm have what it takes to attract and retain the best and brightest in the industry?

The annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry report can help. Clarity is an informative snapshot of today’s A&E landscape, with more than 250 participating firms of every shape and size throughout the United States and Canada.

This year, the 37th Deltek Clarity A&E Industry report features a focus on talent management and highlights several challenges faced by A&E firms. One red flag? Employee turnover continues to increase at firms of all types and sizes, with this year’s rate at 13.3%.

Employee turnover isn’t the only difficulty A&E firms are facing when it comes to managing talent. Other challenges – including the availability of good candidates, performance management and succession planning/career development – also topped the list.

Below are four steps to address some of these challenges as revealed in Clarity.

1) Invest In Your Talent Acquisition Process

Nearly 70% of respondents selected talent acquisition as one of the top three most expensive business processes. Building on that, firms identified availability of viable candidates as the biggest struggle in talent acquisition.

This is one area of the A&E business that remains highly manual. If firms do leverage technology, it is often outdated software not integrated with other critical business systems. In fact, according to Clarity respondents, 66% of firms haven’t updated their Human Resources information systems in at least four years.

Highly manual or disjointed processes lead to costly inefficiencies and wasted time. Firms should take some time to evaluate their talent acquisition processes and systems to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, gaps and challenges. Once you know your biggest obstacles, you can streamline the process to ensure that your firm is finding and securing the right talent.

2) Focus On Increasing Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is the emotional and functional commitment that an employee has to your firm. More engagement means more loyalty, and, in general, more effective work.

Employees are more engaged and loyal when they feel they are valued, believe their work matters, and perceive that they have supportive supervisors. With an average turnover rate of 13.3%, employees are looking for the right firm to match their needs.

So, how do you get these employees engaged? People stay with a company when they feel challenged, engaged and have ample opportunity for development. Employers need to leverage internal expertise to coach and mentor employees, provide educational opportunities and chances for employees to get engaged at various levels within the firm.

3) Change How You Think About Performance Management

According to the Clarity report, performance management is another area that presents a challenge and tends to be one of the most costly business processes to support and one of the biggest challenges managing talent.

When firms lack a solid performance management and goal-setting process, employees don’t feel they are recognized for accomplishments or offered meaningful ways to grow. As a result, your best talent may walk out the door.

Switching to a performance management process built around regular check-in conversations can help solve this problem. Start with a consistent, company-wide approach to performance management, supported by a continuous feedback and goal-tracking process between managers and employees. This will help top performers get the visibility and recognition they desire, leading to increased loyalty and reduced turnover.

4) Look To The Future: Succession Planning & Career Development

Winning the war for talent also means being a workplace where employees can see a future for themselves. Succession planning and career development are a vital part of attracting and retaining your employees, yet for an overwhelming number of firms there seems to be a lack of focus on the future.

In fact, according to the Clarity report, 68% of firms have no formal succession plan or their plan only applies to a select few, leaving employees to wonder about their future career path.

Succession planning can help you easily identify and develop top talent within your organization before the need becomes critical. Groom your existing talent to move up into key positions and build development plans designed to fill gaps and promote employee growth. Executed together, these steps can ensure that your firm’s turnover rate is below the industry average.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/06/02/how-your-ae-firm-can-win-the-war-for-talent/feed/0Fact or Gut? Checking In On Your Decision Makinghttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/04/29/fact-or-gut-checking-in-on-your-decision-making/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/04/29/fact-or-gut-checking-in-on-your-decision-making/#commentsFri, 29 Apr 2016 20:22:57 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=293There are many professions that require fact-based decision-making rather than a gut feeling.

Think about it for a minute. Would you go to a doctor who sent you into surgery but didn’t bother to first run tests to confirm the diagnosis? Do you want a pilot who guesses the best place or time to land? Or a mechanic who takes apart your car before first identifying the problem?

All three of these professions rely on facts to make decisions about how to move forward – and Architecture & Engineering (A&E) firms should as well.

Yet, A&E leaders often make quick decisions based on intuition. If you do the same, you could be putting your business at risk. Decisions based on a gut feeling are simply not viable in today’s competitive and highly data-driven marketplace.

Here are three quick questions to help determine whether your plans are based on fact versus gut.

Are You Reaching For The Right Goals?

Firms often establish annual goals based on a gut feeling or intuition. Think about the goals you set for your firm this year. How did you identify the targets? Are you setting your firm up for failure? If you are looking to improve your bottom line, you must set realistic and fact-based targets. You may want to increase operating profit or reduce overhead rates.

If you establish your goals based on a gut feeling, you may be operating under a series of assumptions – for example, that the market looks good, that you can get higher rates for your projects and that this next project should be an easy target. But, when looking at the facts, you might see instead that turn-over rates are higher than average, your clients are squeezing PMs for more competitive pricing and reaching your goal is not only hard work, but may not be possible at all.

Are You Checking On Your Progress?

Once you’ve confirmed that your goals are fact-based and on point for your firm, you have to check in on your progress. As we approach the half-way point for the year, now is the perfect time. Are you where you need to be on each goal?

If not, what needs to change? What data do you have to explain the gap and develop a plan to move forward? If you wait, it will be too late to take corrective action.

You need tools to quickly identify the problems, identify bright spots and make sure your team isn’t blindsided. Holding teams accountable and working together to develop plans of attack are the most effective and efficient ways to stay the course.

Are You Using Data To Drive Better Decisions?

As you can see, gut-based decisions are a thing of the past and can put your company at risk. Make sure you have the right actionable data at your fingertips to move your firm’s metrics in the right direction. Set up check-ins, report outs or other milestones throughout the year to hold your teams accountable for checking in and, if needed, determining where you need to make a change.

At the end of the day, you are responsible for ensuring that your firm’s actions are rooted in data. To learn more about how data can help your firm, turn to a trusted resource like the Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/04/29/fact-or-gut-checking-in-on-your-decision-making/feed/0Six Steps To Move Project Management From Good To Greathttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/03/31/six-steps-to-move-project-management-from-good-to-great/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/03/31/six-steps-to-move-project-management-from-good-to-great/#commentsThu, 31 Mar 2016 19:53:39 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=287Why be good when you can be great?

Many of you have probably read or heard of the book “Good to Great” by James C. Collins. In it, Collins says, “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”

That discipline is what separates good firms from great firms – and why it is absolutely critical that you not only set strategic goals, but establish a plan to stay on track and reach your target.

The AEC industry’s project focus makes it a natural environment for implementing strategic changes to boost what your firm is capable of delivering. Given that, here are six steps to move your AEC firm’s project management from good enough to great.

Step One: Determine How You Measure Up

Benchmark your firm against peers with a trusted resource like the Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study to help you drill down on key performance indicators that matter most to your firm. Are you tracking the right metrics? Where do you measure up compared to high-performing firms or similarly sized firms? Key KPIs for project management include utilization, percentage of projects on or under budget, and project visibility across the firm.

Step Two: Set Clear, Realistic Goals

Many firms fail to reach their goals because they set themselves up for failure. They set goals that are unrealistic and unachievable or they strive for something so vague that teams don’t know where to start. By looking at your numbers compared to industry benchmarks, you can identify where you need to focus – but don’t expect to jump from 50% utilization to 75% utilization overnight. You’ll need a plan to get to your desired state with realistic milestones along the way. For example, perhaps it is more realistic to increase utilization by 3% or improve on-time, on-budget project delivery by 5%.

Step Three: Identify Your Biggest Challenges

Project management is not easy. It is difficult for project managers to effectively and proactively manage projects, keep clients happy and at the same time try to reach profitability goals. There always are things that get in the way. According to the 36th Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study, some of the top challenges faced by project managers include accurate project cost forecasting, collaboration and communication, and inexperienced project managers. What are the biggest barriers to your project managers’ success? What is getting in the way of them being great project managers?

Step Four: Replicate Top Performers

Chances are, there are exceptional project managers in your AEC firm. How can you leverage their expertise to help reach your goals and encourage other project managers to move from good to great? Do you have a way to share best practices or a formal project manager mentorship program? Some of your best training resources might be right in front of you, given the time and resources to use them effectively.

Step Five: Monitor Progress To Goal

Many goals fail because there is no plan or accountability to see them through. You may start off the year strong and then fade away as projects and other commitments get in the way. Therefore, monitoring progress to goal frequently is critical to success. Once you have established your goals for the year, be sure to identify key milestones, a reporting mechanism and a frequency to monitor progress. Be sure you have the right tools in place to proactively monitor progress to goal.

Step Six: Course Correct Early & Often

As with every project and goal, you’ll identify obstacles along the way. Have a plan for how to not only monitor and identify challenges, but how to adjust your course if needed. That way, even if you experience challenges, you can keep moving toward your goals and positively impact your bottom line.

Make sure you have the right project management tools to help you see where you fall short and where you excel. With that information in hand, set clear, realistic goals and start your firm on the path to achieving them – moving from good to great. This is your year.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/03/31/six-steps-to-move-project-management-from-good-to-great/feed/0Three Questions Your A&E Firm Should Ask To Boost Client Relationshipshttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/02/29/three-questions-your-ae-firm-should-ask-to-boost-client-relationships/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/02/29/three-questions-your-ae-firm-should-ask-to-boost-client-relationships/#commentsMon, 29 Feb 2016 21:53:38 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=281Next to your own staff, your clients are the most important assets to your business. Often, A&E firms find themselves dependent on a small number of clients for the bulk of their business.

In fact, the average A&E firm has 37% of its revenue tied up in just three clients. Losing a top client can be a huge blow to any firm, as we all know. Yet, according to the Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Report, finding enough time to nurture client relationships is a top business development challenge.

So, how can you be sure your client management hits the mark – and offers you opportunity to expand your client base?

First, identify your top five clients and the employee(s) responsible for managing each within your organization. Then it’s time to ask some tough questions.

1) How deep do your relationships go within the client organization? How current are they?

If you only have one contact at a client, you have a problem. Avoid a single point of failure by expanding your relationships within client organizations. Identify how often you need to meet with the client in a given year and set up reminders internally so you can touch base when it matters most.

2) What challenges are they facing this year and how can your firm help?

During meetings with your key clients, talk to them about their biggest challenges for the year. Are they facing budgeting challenges or do they need funding assistance? Do they have more projects than they can accomplish or do they need your expertise to determine in which direction to go for a particular situation?

3) What are your opportunities for improving interaction this year?

Beyond regular touch-base meetings, where can you interact with key clients this year? Where do they go for professional development? There are likely conferences, tradeshows, seminars, professional organization meetings, fundraisers, etc., where you can interact with your key clients in a different setting and engage members from your team in the conversation.

What next?

Use the information gathered from these questions to create a plan for your top five clients and top five prospects. Solidify how you will proactively interact with them going forward so that you can position your firm to win more work.

In specific, establish activities and deadlines and enter them into your client relationship management (CRM) system so that you can track progress or identify where you need to adjust.

Now is the time to put your clients at the center of your business and stop taking your best clients for granted. If you aren’t taking the time to nurture those relationships, another firm is.

Want more insights on client outreach? The 37th Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Survey has been extended to Tuesday, March 15. By participating, you’ll get priority and free access to this year’s report – an opportunity to see how high-performing AEC firms tackle client relations and other important issues.

The process of setting and meeting goals is the engine that drives all project-based businesses, and AEC firms are no different. But setting goals can be difficult – and it can be easy to lose energy and focus with even the most clear and actionable of goals.

Within the AEC industry, firms often set themselves up to fail by setting goals that are unrealistic or vague. You may have a goal, but no actionable plan to make it happen. Or, you may have created a goal that simply isn’t feasible.

So, how do you know what goals are realistic? In a word: benchmarking.

Turn to a trusted resource like the Deltek Clarity Report, compiled from responses to the Annual Deltek A&E Clarity Survey, to help benchmark your firm against the competition and drill down on key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, thanks to Deltek’s 2015 Clarity Report, we know that the average win rate is 47.6% and high-performing AEC firms are reaching 50%. Metrics such as these will help you determine what average firms are doing, what high-performing firms are doing and where you measure up.

Once you see where you stand, you can set realistic targets for where you want to be. So, what steps can your AEC firm take to accomplish your goals? Start by asking a few key questions:

What actions will your firm take to make progress?

How and when will you check the pulse of your progress?

What is the plan to make adjustments, if needed?

Let’s examine how those questions translate to actionable steps. For example:

Evaluate wins and losses for trends; communicate new approaches quarterly.

Change reviewers in the “Go/No-Go” process to ensure objectivity.

The 37th Annual Deltek A&E Clarity Survey is now open. Participate to get priority and free access to this year’s report to ensure a benchmarking boost – then combine benchmarks and KPIs with a plan for frequent pulse checks to ensure actionable goals for your AEC firm’s success.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2016/02/05/improve-your-goal-setting-game-using-effective-benchmarking-kpis-to-reach-project-success/feed/0A Look Back At 2015: Top Blog Posts to Power Your AEC Businesshttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/12/30/a-look-back-at-2015-top-blog-posts-to-power-your-aec-business-2/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/12/30/a-look-back-at-2015-top-blog-posts-to-power-your-aec-business-2/#commentsWed, 30 Dec 2015 16:03:25 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=270As we get ready to welcome the New Year, it’s only natural to reflect on 2015. Accordingly, I’ve compiled a list of top architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) blog posts that shared Deltek’s insights during the past year.

“36th Annual Deltek Clarity Report Highlights A&E Industry Status”Now in its 36th year, the Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering Industry Study is the longest-running of its kind, providing a holistic view of A&E firms of all sizes throughout North America plus critical benchmarks for measuring performance. In general, A&E firms had much to celebrate this year, but there was still room for improvement.

“Growing Your A&E Firm’s Public Sector Business”How are successful AEC firms pursuing work in the public sector? Projects with state, local and federal agencies are key targets for many firms, as state and local (S&L) AEC services account for $391 billion annually across the U.S. These tips can help your team decide where to focus and build capabilities.

“Turbocharge Your Annual Planning and Budgeting”Planning for the New Year? Take a look at where your A&E firm stands and what you want to achieve in 2016. It’s not too late to make 2016 your best year yet by turning your ideas into a profitable reality!

I encourage you to use the critical information in these blogs to build business in 2016. See you in the New Year!

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/12/30/a-look-back-at-2015-top-blog-posts-to-power-your-aec-business-2/feed/0Are You Nurturing Your Client Relationships?http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/11/30/are-you-nurturing-your-client-relationships/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/11/30/are-you-nurturing-your-client-relationships/#commentsMon, 30 Nov 2015 20:55:50 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=262With the holiday season upon us, many people take time to reflect on the relationships in their lives – friends, family and colleagues. But for a project-based A/E/C firm, the relationships that require your attention are your clients.

The most successful A/E/C firms are built on strong client relationships – and their confidence in you as a trusted partner. But as firms grow and work picks up, it can be easy to focus on deliverables and let your relationships fall to the wayside.

The holidays are the ideal time to reconnect with clients and better understand what they need in the coming year. Here are a few steps that you can take to foster a closer relationship with your clients this holiday season.

Go The Extra Mile

In the A/E/C industry, it can be easy to forget that we are dealing with people and not just projects. But, even the most introverted clients will generally appreciate you remembering their favorite drink, hobby or children’s names. Whether you are hosting a large client party, dropping off a thoughtful gift or simply sending a meaningful, hand-written note, the holidays are the ideal time to put that personal touch back in your client relationships.

If you have a client who you know is in need of attention, now is your chance to schedule time with them. Set aside time for lunch, coffee or a drink and start rebuilding your relationship before you begin the new year with a renewed focus on project deliverables.

Build New Contacts Within Your Client Organization

You may have personal working relationships with specific contacts at each client, but if you only know one or two people within a client organization, your firm is vulnerable to having your professional relationship derailed by staffing changes on the client side.

As the year draws to a close, take time to review your Client Relationship Management (CRM) system and see which accounts have only one or two points of contact. Then, reach out to your key contacts and suggest a chance to get together – while inviting other members of their team.

Share Results

The holidays are also an opportune time to revisit the past year’s successes and lessons learned in a social setting, as well as to informally discuss strategy for 2016.

Prepare for any client interactions by reviewing project details in your CRM system and identifying key talking points. Then lay the groundwork for more detailed, business-focused discussions in the new year.

Revise Your Best Practices

How frequently does your firm contact key clients? Do you have someone assigned to each of your clients to ensure that you are truly nurturing your relationships? Talk to your clients and find out what elements of your communication have worked for them in the past year. Then use that information to enhance your 2016 planning.

The holiday season is a time to let those in your life know just how much they mean to you, so be sure to include your clients and colleagues on that list. To learn more about how the right CRM solution can help you build and track client relationships, join Deltek for an upcoming webinar.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/11/30/are-you-nurturing-your-client-relationships/feed/0Turbocharge Your Annual Planning and Budgetinghttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/10/30/turbocharge-your-annual-planning-and-budgeting/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/10/30/turbocharge-your-annual-planning-and-budgeting/#commentsFri, 30 Oct 2015 17:32:15 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=256As annual budgeting and planning season is in full swing, it’s time to take a look at where your A&E firm stands this year and what you want to achieve in 2016.

Is your firm’s profitability low? Has revenue growth stalled? What do you need to accomplish in the next year and what will it take? You may not know the best way to tackle your 2016 goals, or you may have tried and failed to reach them in the past. So, how can you break the cycle and make progress in the coming year?

But first, what is an annual plan? Many A&E firms have a strategic plan, which addresses longer goals over multiple years. In contrast, an annual plan outlines what items need to be achieved in the next year, with detailed action plans to make things happen.

So, how can your firm take your annual planning and budgeting up a notch?

Use Long-Term Strategic Plans to Identify Steps to Success

First, A&E firms need to review their long-term strategic goals and identify what needs to happen to keep the firm on track. Once you identify key goals for the upcoming year, develop detailed tactical steps that clearly build toward each goal and can be accomplished in the given year.

Plan With Top-Down and Bottom-Up Budgeting

Firms often complete top-down budgeting, where management outlines tasks and budgets with little to no input from the full team. But, to make true progress, create top-down and bottom-up forecasting. Why? Bottom-up forecasting includes input from staff members on what they can deliver – plus, as an added bonus, it can uncover unknown opportunities and interests. Once both top-down and bottom-up forecasts are drafted, compare plans and work to resolve gaps.

What to Stop, Start and Continue – and How

To succeed, tasks must be matched with true champions – employees who are passionate about your goals and will deliver results. But, with everyone busy, how can employees at your A&E firm take on even more? Your champions must examine their activities and, if those activities are not producing the desired results, stop or delegate them to more appropriate staff. Ensure that your champions are given the time and resources needed to properly tackle their action items. And remember – while there should be consequences if champions fall short of expectations, you also must take time to recognize their successes.

Set Transparent Goals and Establish Accountability

Even the best of plans can fall apart when it comes to monitoring and reporting. It’s important to carefully map out how your A&E firm plan to monitor each goal and track activity progress. These reports should be shared at least monthly to review progress, identify shortcomings and create corrective action plans as needed. Identify who owns each goal, where details will be tracked and a consistent method to monitor and report progress. This step alone will significantly increase the likelihood that your plan becomes reality.

Share the Importance of Your Plan at All Levels

Very few goals are independent. Often, they rely on the success of other team members. Help everyone understand how their role contributes to your firm’s success. Internal collaboration and cooperation will not only help get you closer to your goals, but also will build stronger trust and relationships among team members.

As you complete your 2016 planning, now is the time to make sure your annual plan is achievable, tactical, inclusive and transparent with clear champions and accountability. Make 2016 your best year yet by turning your ideas into a profitable reality.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/10/30/turbocharge-your-annual-planning-and-budgeting/feed/0Growing Your A&E Firm’s Public Sector Businesshttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/09/30/growing-your-ae-firms-public-sector-business/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/09/30/growing-your-ae-firms-public-sector-business/#commentsWed, 30 Sep 2015 17:10:25 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=249Projects with state, local and federal agencies are key targets for many A&E firms. State and local (S&L) architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) services account for $391 billion annually across the U.S. At the federal level, that number is $35 billion. Collectively, the public sector represents 40% of the total U.S. market for AEC projects.

Because S&L funding in these markets closely mirrors the economy, firms have good reason to be optimistic. In addition to the post-recession growth, investment cuts in the last decade mean there’s pent-up demand for infrastructure projects. While federal spending in the past few years has been challenging and disappointing, spending on infrastructure is ticking up again.

The 36th Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study revealed how successful AEC firms are pursuing public sector projects. For example, according to nearly 400 firms, two of the top three markets they’re expecting to grow in the next 18 months are Water/Wastewater/Storm Water and Roads & Bridges.

Building on details revealed by Clarity, Deltek’s experts shared five key steps to growing your public sector business in a recent webinar. These tips, previewed here, can help your firm decide where to focus your efforts and build your capabilities. For the full list, check out the webinar.

Align Business Development with Long-Term Growth
Your target markets should align with projected growth. For example, while highways are mostly funded by the federal government, S&L projects are dominated by other roads, bridges and ground transportation – largely in response to population growth. California and Texas, as well as the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic areas, are poised for significant growth.

Assess Gaps & Competition
Develop a capability matrix across your market sectors and geographies and cross-reference it with your competitors. Look at pre-qualification requirements and selection criteria – can you contend? Score your hot spots and identify where you’re most likely to succeed. Don’t forget to consider your partners and existing relationships. If you have weaknesses, these can potentially fill in the gaps – and vice versa.

Pick Targets Wisely
Federal, state and local projects each require a different set of skills, experience and requirements. At the federal level, there’s an extensive set of acquisition rules and a cost to doing business – leaving you to decide if that makes sense for your firm. In contrast, local governments focus on driving area development and often want to work with firms that have a local presence. Often, they have a pre-qualification requirement for location; failing to meet such a requirement can be disappointing if your firm invested time and money without the necessary upfront leg work.

Build a Solid Pipeline
Now that you’ve picked your targets and paid careful attention to any pre-qualification requirements, your AEC firm is ready to build a pipeline of actionable opportunities. There are a wealth of transparent resources to help with this process, including public meeting minutes, bid notices and capital improvement plans. Other solutions include Deltek GovWin IQ, which aggregates key information so you can spend more time pursuing the project and less time researching the opportunity.

Many clients also allow you to review all submitted qualifications statements and proposals, providing an opportunity to see what your competition is proposing and how they were scored. The result? A better understanding of selection process priorities.

The public sector can be daunting. The key is to leverage every piece of insight possible to ensure that your firm pursues the right business and that you have a complete view of the project opportunity.

]]>http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/09/30/growing-your-ae-firms-public-sector-business/feed/0Invest in Your Starting Lineup and Improve Bench Strengthhttp://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/08/31/invest-in-your-starting-lineup-and-improve-bench-strength/
http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/2015/08/31/invest-in-your-starting-lineup-and-improve-bench-strength/#commentsMon, 31 Aug 2015 16:46:13 +0000http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/guest/?p=245As football season rolls around, I find myself thinking about cool fall evenings, cheering fans, hot chocolate and A&E firms. I know you probably think the last one is a typo, but it isn’t. Football teams and A&E firms both have a common goal: finding and keeping the best players so they can win.

In the 36th Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study, firms reported an average net revenue growth forecast of 6.2%, with some firms forecasting 13.4% or higher growth. The study also shows the average employee turnover rate is 13.7% and the average staff growth rate is 4.7%. These statistics mean that A&E firms are optimistic about growth and are working hard to find the right team members to make further growth a reality.

So, what can A&E firms do to attract and keep the right people? To start, they can learn from successful football teams when it comes to team-building and recruiting.

Recruiting

The top colleges and NFL teams don’t sit back and wait for applications from stand-out running backs and star quarterbacks. Their scouts are always looking for the right team members to fit into their programs. And, they are successful.

In the A&E industry, we tend to be more passive about recruiting – and that needs to change. Are you actively looking for the best and brightest to fill your gaps? Or is someone proactively recruiting your best and brightest? It’s time to assess how you can take your recruiting to the next level and find the right person for the job, instead of waiting for them to knock on your door or submit their resume.

Conditioning

When you look at some of the best athletes in the country, they don’t get there by chance. They put in hours of training and proactively plan to improve their skills so they can continue to stay on top of their game.

However, in the A&E industry, many firms are hesitant to train staff. Some express concern that they could be wasting money on employee training that will ultimately only benefit another employer if those employees leave. But, a recent webcast with PSMJ Resources underscored that leading firms invest in their teams.

The best project managers and technical professionals didn’t get there naturally. They have training programs, coaches and mentors to help take them from good to great. These top firms put together training plans or skills checklists to help identify what training can help employees make even greater contributions to the team. What programs does your A&E firm have in place to build your team’s technical and management muscles?

Bench Strength

The investment in the team can’t stop with the starting lineup. As the saying goes, rising tides raise all ships. Investing in every single person in your firm can have significant returns on investment.

The leading firms in the industry know that training and coaching their whole team leads to better overall project delivery. But, it also helps your starting lineup know they have a solid back-up player.

After all, if employees are over-extended and overworked for a long time, they may look for opportunities to get drafted elsewhere for a reprieve. Building your bench strength helps your starting lineup today and positions your firm for success in years to come.

Team Synergy

Let’s debunk the myth that if we invest in our people, we are throwing our money away. Employees leave because they are NOT being invested in, not because they have a new skill and want to run across the street to sell it.

Employees are more loyal to companies that show they care about their teams and are willing to invest in them. And, as teams work together longer, there are natural synergies and efficiencies that ultimately result in a better experience for clients and the team itself.

So, as football season kicks off and you begin developing strategic plans for 2016, where will you invest in your starting lineup and how will you improve your bench strength? Look to the 36th Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Industry Study for inspiration.